Japonisme Furniture
In the late 19th and early 20th century, France developed an enduring passion for Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship. Not only did this interpretation of Japanese culture — which became known as Japonisme — infuse fresh energy into French art and design, but it also radically transformed how Europeans, and subsequently the world, would come to understand visual culture.
Until 1853, Japan had been closely guarded against foreign visitors for over two centuries. However, American Commodore Matthew C. Perry sailed into Japan that year and initiated the first of its treaties with the United States and Europe, thereby opening its borders and giving the West its first-ever look at Japanese design.
For the next few decades, taken with Japonisme, sophisticated collectors in Paris, New York and elsewhere gorged themselves on lacquered screens, celadon ceramics and netsuke ornaments, along with artworks depicting various aspects of Japanese life. The East Asian country’s influence on Europe, particularly France, contributed to one of the most creatively prosperous periods in history, leaving an imprint on the Impressionist, Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements, and inspiring artists like Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, Vincent van Gogh as well as luxury houses such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès. Japonisme emerged at the time when the ornate Renaissance Revival style was the most prominent mode of decorating in Europe, and Japanese aesthetics seemed strikingly modern and elegant in comparison.
In addition to everyday practical objects from Japan, such as vases, tableware and decorative boxes, Japanese art, especially Japanese woodblock prints by masters of the ukiyo-e school, caught the eye of many artists — particularly those in the Art Nouveau poster community in 1880s Paris. The luscious organic colors associated with traditional Japanese design, motifs like cherry blossoms and carp and the vivid patterns found in woodblock prints, silks and more were adopted and appropriated by painters as well as ceramicists and those working in other fields of the decorative arts. Today, demand for Japanese lacquerware — furniture, trays, writing boxes, screens, incense burners — from the Edo period (1615–1868) and the late 19th century continues to be very strong among collectors.
Find a collection of antique Japonisme furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
1950s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary American Japonisme Furniture
Laminate, Plywood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
1980s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Maple
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century French Japonisme Furniture
Brass
1950s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bamboo
Early 19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Paper
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain, Paint
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Gold
Early 20th Century European Japonisme Furniture
Bronze, Brass
19th Century Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Lacquer
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Sandstone
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Sandstone
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Sandstone
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Sandstone
Early 20th Century European Japonisme Furniture
Metal, Enamel
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
1890s French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Japonisme Furniture
Metal, Enamel
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
1870s American Antique Japonisme Furniture
Bronze, Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Gold
1980s American Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Gold
1980s American Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Laminate
1950s European Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century American Japonisme Furniture
Formica, Laminate, Wood
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
2010s Thai Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
1970s Italian Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Art Glass
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Porcelain
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain, Paint
1890s Japanese Antique Japonisme Furniture
Silver, Enamel
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Pottery
20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Gold
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
2010s Japanese Japonisme Furniture
Wood
1920s Japanese Vintage Japonisme Furniture
Gold